Them: The Battle of Reveresburg, Part 2
by Turkish1
Summary: Goliath's clan attempts to save a small town from a Zombie horde... the resulting battle doesn't go well.
1. Chapter 1

Them: Battle of Reveresburg, Part 2

"This is the will of the people and none of my own."

Inscription on an executioner's sword (German).

Goliath and Elisa

Goliath's broken wing ached as the zombies ceased their attack and continued their shuffle into the city, ignoring him. Out of harm now, he rushed to Elisa who touched down on the street.

He grabbed his lost love by the elbows, "oh Elisa, my Elisa! I was so worried!"

"Your concern is not warranted," Elisa answered; as far as he could see she was in nearly perfect condition. The only change in her appearance was a slight pale to her skin and a bright sheen to her eyes as well as a cut to her arm. "In fact, I am better than before."

"Are you infected?" Goliath demanded. "It doesn't matter," he answered himself and began pulling her away. "Demona can help you! Follow me, my love!"

Elisa followed him easily, "do you mean she will cast the same spell on me as she did on Angela?"

Goliath stopped, "how did you know?"

"Angela is apart of us and I can freely read her thoughts," Elisa answered. "I knew everyone of your moves almost before you even made them."

"Am I talking to Elisa or the IT," Goliath growled.

"Goliath," Elisa laughed, oh, she sounded so close to normal. "Its me! Far better than me and I am so glad you are here!" She rushed Goliath and hugged him, it was then that Goliath felt how cold she was.

"Finally! You are here so that we can be together, forever," Elisa exclaimed.

Goliath frowned, "come, Demona can help you."

"Not for long," Elisa answered with a smirk.

Demona, Angela, Xanatos and Bronx.

Demona, Angela, and Xanatos (carrying Bronx) flew from the battle site, behind them the horizon glowed as Reveresburg burned.

"We cant just leave them all behind," Angela moaned.

"You know exactly why we have to," Demona replied.

"Maybe Goliath will come to his senses and join us," Angela said.

"I doubt it," Demona growled.

"I'm sure your clan will fight their way out of the trap," Xanatos said. "My traps were always elaborate and, well, genius, and your clan managed to fight your way out of them every time… somehow. My personal favorite was the one I set for you and Coyote in Arizona. How you got out of that one, I have no idea."

Angela was suddenly stricken, her brain felt as if it had been cut in half. She gave a shout and plummeted, hitting the forest floor below. Demona and Xanatos followed, setting Bronx on the leafy carpet. Angela was motionless under dead twisted trees.

"Angela," Demona asked.

Bronx growled.

Demona took a step forward only to be stopped by Xanatos. "I'll handle this." His armor acting as insurance.

He took a step forward as Angela remained perfectly motionless. "Come on, Angela. Show me you're alright." He kneeled in order to roll her over.

Angela roared, eyes blazing red she was at his throat in a second. She couldn't get through his armor, but that was not for lack of effort. Her teeth and claws tore back curls of titanium and silk steel, stripping the armor to its base. She picked him easily over her head and threw him against a tree, but was not done with Xanatos.

Angela grabbed his arm and braced her foot against his chest and began to pull, steel creaked as its pressure limits were tested.

"Aaa!" Xanatos could feel his deltoid muscle hyper extending, soon his arm would separate from his body. "Demona! Get out of here!"

Demona and Bronx charged, bowling Angela off of Xanatos.

Angela's reaction was typical of a Rage Zombie, she simply attacked the next closest thing. She smacked Demona away and turned on Bronx.

The two rolled around on the ground, she threw the garbeast away. Bronx instantly rebounded and attacked again, this time taking Angela down and holding her motionless against the ground.

Xanatos bounded forward and fired a stunning blast from his arm cannon. Thankfully, it seemed to work and Angela became silent.

"Damn!" Demona cried as she slowly regained her feet; Xanatos rushed over to help her. The red haired Gargoyle moved her hands aside to show a set of serious scratches at her abdomen.

"Can you cast a spell to save yourself," Xanatos asked.

"Yeah, sure, I don't know," Demona cried. "We have to get out of here. Somewhere safe where I can calm and concentrate. Check on my daughter and lets go!"

Xanatos bounded over to Angela who was now sitting against a tree, holding her aching head while Bronx watched, guarding against further aggression.

"Angela," Xanatos asked.

"ITs gone for now," Angela said. "But I don't know when IT will take over my mind again. You need to leave now."

Xanatos nodded, "come here, Bronx."

Bronx looked up and whined.

Xanatos tried calling him again, but the beast would not move; Angela could see only one solution to diffuse the situation. She got up and ran, removing herself from the equation and vanishing into the darkness. For now, Angela would meet her destiny on her own.

Xanatos and Bronx watched her go and finally the garbeast followed the former billionaire. The three left soon afterward to find somewhere safe where Demona could attempt to heal herself, to save herself from becoming a zombie.

Brooklyn

The situation was quickly falling apart when Brooklyn returned to Reveresburg.

The small town which used to hold ten thousand living was now under assault by at least half a million undead. The loyal and brave members of the US army were holding a collapsing pocket of resistance. The rest, the refugees and deserters, were charging the bridge or trying to swim across the river. On the other side there was relative safety in the west, at least until the zombies continued their offensive into North America's heartland.

Seeing all of this the red Gargoyle felt overwhelmed. Where should he start? Could he do anything against such an onslaught? Where were the other members of his clan?

He could see the refugees and soldiers cut off from the river had climbed on rooftops, hoping one of the passing helicopters would drop low enough to pick them up. They would get a Gargoyle instead.

Brooklyn began ferrying as many people as he could across the river, dropping them off to give them a chance at survival.

Returning once more Brooklyn had to avoid helicopters. First, several civilian rigs tearing off toward the west, then a combat helicopter that drew a momentary bead on him.

"Damn it," Brooklyn growled as he avoided rounds. "Same team!" Thankfully the copter soon forgot about him and continued strafing undead on the ground

It was then that Brooklyn saw another building under attack by hordes of zombies.

"Stop what you are doing," Brooklyn roared after he had landed. On the roof there was a squad of soldiers and refugees. The heavy machinegun the troops manned was quickly running out of ammo. "Let's get out of here!"

The refugees didn't have to be told twice, they quickly crawled all over the gargoyle and held on. "Come on, soldiers! We are leaving!"

"Just bring us back more ammo and a medical evac!"

The squad here had done a good job, they had piled a foot hill worth of crippled zombies before their sweeping machine gun. But typical of the undead, they just kept on coming. Oozing over their fallen comrades in an endless slimy tide to wash away this outpost of the living.

Brooklyn walked to the edge of the roof that over looked the river. The people he carried were heavy, it felt as if he were wearing a suit of concrete. This was going to be a tough flight.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and an eruption of sound. Brooklyn was plowed to the roof along with his refugees as concrete, vehicles, and bodies rained all around the city and around the Gargoyle.

The army had blown the bridge, and everyone on it.

Brooklyn's perception slowly returned to reality, "come on, the bus is leaving." He turned to the soldiers and stopped. The soldiers and their gun had been smashed by a huge chunk of concrete and the zombies were now charging in unimpeded.

"Time to go," Brooklyn said while gathering the refugees again, throwing them on his back once more. He hobbled to the edge of the roof, the zombies just yards away.

He spread his wings and hopped off the roof, but the zombies were too close and a few leapt on, grabbing the extended legs of the survivors.

Brooklyn groaned, the weight was too much, but he was gaining altitude ever so slowly. But the struggling and squirming of the refugees was not helping.

"Stop moving," Brooklyn commanded the people hanging off of him like a train. They did not respond, they were busily fighting the zombies that clawed at their ankles.

Brooklyn rose in the sky, the river and the town fading below him. He started hoping, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he could make it. His destination was so near at hand, just a shade under a mile. Without all of these people he could glide that on his back, without opening his eyes.

But a second later something seemed to snap, he seemed to hit a wall of fatigue. His body had had it and his nose tipped down and he began the plunge.

It was slow at first, Brooklyn keeping a degree of control. He thought he could still glide across the river and crash land on the other side. But soon the weight was just too much and the crash landing became a free fall.

He managed to hit the river, but there was a misconception about falling into water from a great height. Water is not a cushion as for the first millisecond it feels as hard as concrete, because for a millisecond, it is; physics can be cruel like that.

Broadway

Lexington slithered close, his appearance and movements were like a shadow; Broadway was helpless to defend himself.

"I can help you, Broadway," Lexington whispered. "Just let me, my teeth will slip into your skin, it will only hurt for a moment."

"Lexington…" Broadway sighed. "Don't! You're not yourself!"

Lexington drew close, his cold talons took Broadway's hand and dragged it into the shadows where he could not see.

"Lex, if you haven't consumed flesh we can help you," Broadway said.

"I'm about to," Lex whispered.

Another roar interrupted the feast, Hudson diving down with his sword drawn.

"Lad," Hudson asked Lexington. "Are you okay."

"Look out! He's been changed," Broadway cried.

Lexington hissed and leapt onto Hudson's face, the older Gargoyle was able to knock him off and throw the little Gargoyle aside. But Lexington had the strange reflexes of a zombie and rebounded immediately, bowling Hudson over.

The two rolled down the rubble strewn hill, Hudson desperately trying to keep Lexington's teeth and claws from slicing his skin.

"This has been happening to me entirely too often lately, lad!" Hudson roared when they reached the river's edge. Hudson had come out the winner in their rolling wrestling match and pinned Lexington to the ground. "Lad, can you hear me?"

"I understand you," Lexington hissed in reply.

"Then what do you say we make an accord," Hudson said. "I can bring you for help…"

"I do not need help," Lexington replied. "It is you who needs help. One bite and I can make you perfect."

"I thought you might say that," Hudson said. "Okay, what do you say I let go of your shoulders and we both stand up. Then we start walking in opposite directions while counting to a hundred. If, when we look up, do not see each other, we go on our merry way and hope to meet again in better times."

"And if I refuse," Lexington hissed.

"I promise our resulting battle will leave you useless whether you are cured or not," Hudson promised. "Don't let our stand off get to that. Let us just pass like ships in the night."

The zombie Lexington nodded.

"Okay," Hudson removed his hands from the little guy's shoulders and backed away a few steps. Lexington slowly stood and the two faced off from each other.

"How is it that you can speak, lad," Hudson asked.

"I'm not here to divulge information to the imperfect," Lexington answered.

"Very well," Hudson replied. "We will turn our backs and start walking, ready"

Lexington nodded.

"Alright," Hudson turned but Lexington did not. "I hope when we meet again you will have seen the error in your ways." Hudson said as he marched away, slowly counting to a hundred.

Lexington did not meet his end of the agreement. Instead he stealthily followed Hudson, talons out and ready, teeth dripping with infected saliva.

"I remember when you were just a child," Hudson said without glancing over his shoulder. "I hope things will be as good again one day, those were good times, good times."

Lexington struck, leaping on Hudson's back; hypodermic needle like teeth ready to inject his mentor with the virus.

It was then that the bridge was blown, the same that went off before Brooklyn took his flight. A tire arched through the air and deafly hit Lexington, swatting him off Hudson's back.

Hudson attempted to take cover, shielding his head as the bridge bombarded what was left of the city with concrete and burning vehicles. When Hudson finally was able to look up Lexington was gone.

Hudson ran desperately through a landscape now scattered with burning debris, hoping against hope that Broadway was not crushed by parts from the bridge.

He found Broadway by an Abrams Tank which had been tossed from the bridge to miraculously miss the Gargoyle by inches. However, Broadway was not in good condition otherwise.

The big gargoyle was silent now, barely clinging to life as he lay on the debris strewn field.

"Lad!" Hudson cried, slapping him on the cheeks. "This is no time to quit!"

Hudson glanced up and saw crowds of zombies massing just a few hundred yards away. This side of the city had grown quiet, the armed resistance had been quelled. Now was time for the dead to cross the river and continue their attack until all sentient life was extinguished.

Hudson knew the river did not offer much resistance against the zombie horde, they would simply walk along the bottom.

He grunted as he pulled Broadway into a fireman carry, "ach, why couldn't you be Lexington?" He said in regards to Broadway's weight as he tired to carry him away.

Brooklyn

On the other side of the river Brooklyn found himself being carried by frightened survivors through tall reeds and cattails.

"Let me go!" Brooklyn cried. "I'm fine!"

The wet survivors did not need to be asked twice, they dropped Brooklyn and continued running.

Brooklyn was surprised that he was alive and in one piece, at least mostly. His head felt as if it had been bashed with a brick. So he staggered toward the quiet parking lot for a Park'n Ride. There he sat on the rust stained bumper of an old Chevy Celebrity, its shocks groaned under his slight weight.

When he looked up he saw survivors streaming from the wrecked hulk that was Reveresburg.

Brooklyn cradled his head, promising himself that when the pain subsided and his equilibrium returned he would find his Clan.

But another noise distracted him, something that was strange, something that was out of place. He glanced over the trunk and saw small children hiding between the Celebrity and a neighboring Firebird.

The little humans were red faced and crying.

"Hey! Hey!" Brooklyn said gently, revealing himself to them. They did not panic at the sight of the monster as they had seen much worse that night. "Where are your parents?"

One pointed in the direction of Reveresburg, possibly in the direction of Camp Zulu.

Brooklyn stood and looked around, doubting that these children would be completely abandoned by their parents, but he could find no one except fleeing refugees.

"Come on, kids. Where are your parents?" Brooklyn demanded.

"They told us to run."

"Fantastic," Brooklyn said as he cast a futile eye back to the city. It was easy to assume that he had come across a group of orphans who would die without his protection. He couldn't just abandon them.

"Alright kids," Brooklyn said. "I want you all to hold each other's hands and form a chain, can you do that?"

Silently, with wide, scared, moist, eyes, they did as he asked and Brooklyn took the first's hand. "We have to be fast, okay? We have to run and we cannot stop."

At that moment another refugee ran near, jumping to the top of a parked car she had an over stuffed backpack and wore a hoodie that obscured her features.

"Hey! Hey! You," Brooklyn cried.

She paused.

"Can you help me? We need to get these kids out of here," Brooklyn cried.

Her eyes reflected light, appearing almost animalistic in the dark. She jumped from the vehicle and seemed to continue in her flight, but stopped herself by grabbing a car hood.

"Oh hell," she said and rushed back. "Okay, you carry three and I'll carry two."

"Thank you," Brooklyn said. "What's your name?"

"There's no time for that, come on kids, the bad guys are crossing the river"

Goliath and Elisa

Goliath pulled Elisa along while noticing the town was growing quiet, he ran through the lines of advancing zombies.

"Goliath," Elisa said. "Goliath, stop. There is no need for this. As long as I protect you the undead will not harm you."

"What about my clan? What about the people of this town," Goliath roared. "I'm taking you for help from Demona and then we will form a plan of resistance!"

Elisa rolled her eyes, "lets make a deal. I'll call off the attack on the people in Reveresburg if you'll stop dragging me and listen."

Goliath finally stopped, "you have that kind of power?"

"Its just a cease fire, mind you," Elisa said. "After our meeting the attack will continue. Honestly, you will not be doing anyone a favor. We will hunt them all down at a later time. They will just be more tired then."

Goliath finally stopped, "I am taking you for help, Elisa."

"That's fine too, I suppose," Elisa/IT said. "You may keep this vessel called Elisa, but you wont be doing her any favors either. We will hunt her down and change her back again should Demona use her magic."

Goliath sighed, "you obviously went to a lot of trouble to draw me here, so what is it that you want?"

"Oh, how short sighted of you," Elisa/IT said. "I offer you and all the creatures of this world so much but you are so selfish you cannot see. You see me as a threat, that I am trying to kill you…"

Goliath's brow lowered in confusion, "aren't you?"

"Of course not!" Elisa/IT cried. "I have come as a liberating army to free the organisms of this world and bring them to the next stage of evolution."

"What caused you? What magic user is controlling you?" Goliath demanded.

"I don't think I understand your question," Elisa/IT said. "Oh! Who hasn't attempted to bend Solanum to suit their shady goals. The last to try was your so called 'zombie experts' Demona and Xanatos."

"What?" Goliath cried.

"Didn't you think that they knew a little too much," Elsia/IT asked. "Solanum, the host parasite, normally exists at the bottom deep ocean trenches, in hot geysers, and space debris like meteors. Solanum is a pioneer organism, bringing a new form of life where carbon based life forms cannot exist for long. So you can imagine that for all the circumstances to line up for someone to come in contact with the parasite, and for the parasite to infect them would be far beyond rare. Besides, Demona knows the counter spells to hold the infection off. Did you not find that a little too convenient?"

"Yes," Goliath sighed.

"Don't be too angry," Elisa/IT said. "Many who have hungered for power have tried to manipulate Solanum. None have succeeded. Also, you should thank Demona and Xanatos. They are about to grant the entire world a great gift! Can you imagine a world without warfare or ugliness? No competition, hunger, heartbreak, pain, fear of death? And most of all, the end of loneliness."

Elisa took Goliath's hand, "we will be taken from our bodies and our souls will find a sort of love not even imagined by the greatest poets! I can't even believe I have to sell this to you! Making love is such a selfish act for your imperfect people, but we will truly become one when our souls mingle forever!"

Goliath glanced at a nearby zombie, grabbed it, and hauled it over. The zombie was a mangy veteran of long journeys and many battles, its skin was gray and it was nearly naked.

"Do you call this an improvement!" Goliath cried.

"This is the problem resulting from all the resistance I have to put up with," Elisa/IT said. "When I have to force someone into the collective the transfer of power is random. But I can assure you, this person feels no pain and will exist until its body is dust. Watch this," Elisa said and hovered several feet above the ground. Using a fingernail she carved a deep cut into her forehead which healed instantly. "I can also see what the creatures of this world are thinking. I am what the creatures of this world will become once my followers are successful. Join me, Goliath and I will grant you all the powers you can only imagine. All you have to do is kiss me."


	2. Chapter 2

An Undead World.

Prologue

The rusty car door screamed as it was pulled open, eventually snapping off its hinges to crash onto the grass below. Revealed inside, still dutifully piled behind the wheel, was a pile of long bleached bones.

A girl held a flashlight as a boy bent inside to shift through what was left of the driver.

"Could you hurry this up," the girl demanded as she glanced around the ruined town. She knew they were very near the border now, just steps away was the territory held by the undead… and they did not like visitors.

Another teen stood next to her, he took a hit off a plastic bottle of whiskey, seeming less than concerned.

The young man threw bones out of the car, then ducked out with something glittering in his hand. The girl snatched it away from him, a wedding band rescued from the bone pile.

"See babe, a little risk and a lot of reward," the boy said.

The girl was silent, her eyes glittering at the precious metal that had belonged to the skeleton.

"Come on," the boy ordered while walking deeper into the ruined town. Once a vibrant community it had been one of the last settlements to be devastated during the war. Now it lay in the DMZ between the Sentient Reservation and territory held by the Hive undead.

As they ventured deeper into the village they could see the border now, marked by billboards hung with skeletons. This was the division between the Sentient and the Hive.

"Jackpot," their apparent leader cried as they reached the crossing of Main street and Vine. He rushed to a former Conoco station that was still in decent condition, though its sign had collapsed years ago and the fuel pumps were on their side. The garage doors were still there and rolled down, the rectangle windows were clouded but not broken.

The boy cupped his hands and peered inside, "there is a combustion vehicle in there! It might even work."

The other trespassers rushed over and looked inside, "wow, when's the last time you've seen one of those things in working order?"

"I think I've seen Brooklyn driving one now and then," the girl answered.

"He would," the apparent leader snorted. "After he sold us down the river to the Hive, why shouldn't he be rewarded with a working car?"

"No shit." The tall teen with the whiskey croaked.

The leader started smashing windows of the garage, trying to open the door to get at the car inside. "If we're lucky we could even drive this hog out of here," the boy grunted. "Imagine the looks on the faces of the girls back in Casper when we roll down main in a SUV with twenty four inch spinning rims! Think of all the bitches and blow…"

"You don't even know what you're talking about," the girl interrupted with a bored voice. "If Brooklyn doesn't confiscate the car right away, then where will we find fuel for it?"

"Stop spoiling my fun," the boy replied as a branch snapped from deeper in the village.

"Did you hear that," the girl hissed as she pointed the flashlight deeper into the flattened town.

The three fell quiet and watched. The tomb of a former town was silent, deathly silent, all the woodland creatures that crawled and climbed had abruptly stopped singing at once as if something dreadful was coming.

"I think we need to leave," the girl whispered, though the flashlight beam had not revealed a threat.

"Relax," the boy replied as he opened the garage door. The sheet steel barrier rolled up with a loud roar. "If we can get in here then we could drive out of this place."

The girl swept the flashlight across the devastated streets once more, the circle of light stopped on the vague shape of a man. The strange person just stood there, not moving, his stocky form barely outlined by the flashlight and the moon.

"John!" The girl hissed. "John! A zombie!"

"They wouldn't violate the DMZ," John called from the car he had discovered. He was looking into the windshield, the pile of rust and popped cushions inside was not giving him much hope that the old shit box would actually start.

But, as the girl watched, the zombie charged forward.

There were no more words, the girl simply dropped the flashlight and ran. The zombie streaked in after them and though the teenagers had a significant head start the predators were closing in fast.

The kids ran out of town, exhaustion closing around them like a pair of heavy gloves. Hoping to save their lives they ran toward a dry canal and tried to leap across. The two boys made the jump, the girl, however, barely missed. She hit the concrete side and toppled inside to tumble to the leaf strewn bottom.

"Hey!" She cried. "I think I broke my leg!"

The boys stopped and peered helplessly down at her, then glanced to each other and vanished. The boys continued running toward the relative safety of the countryside. The nearest settlement was fifteen miles away and the boys had a long jog ahead if they hoped to find help that night.

"Hey! John! You can't just leave me!" The girl screamed after them, but fell silent when she heard the sound of approaching zombies. Their footsteps stopped and four shadowed forms peered down at her from the top of the canal.

Chapter 1; Brooklyn.

The final bell had rung and the hallways were filled with young students rushing for home, Brooklyn joined them.

The red Gargoyle was in a rush and could not stop to chat with the students who wished him well. "Have a good rest of the day, Mr. Brooklyn." "I've heard of your good fortune, Principle. Congratulations!" "I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Brooklyn!" Many of them hailed as he passed.

Brooklyn, fresh from one of his many duties in this post apocalyptic world, could only nod in hurried response. He was late and rushed through hallways crowded with children, cheerful artwork hung on the walls fluttered as his trailing wings disturbed the air.

He rushed up the stairs to the rooftop where he could catch a momentary look over Cheyenne, Wyoming before he continued on to a little white church where he was expected.

Even though it was mid afternoon, Brooklyn leapt from the lip of the roof and flew over the lines of students and quaint little houses; he quickly reflected that life had changed a great deal over the last few decades.

After their victory at Reveresburg the zombie menace only grew in strength and ferocity, they would continue their attack on humanity. What resulted was known as the Summer of the Sirens, named so because towns would sound their air raid sirens at the approach of hordes of zombies. Often the sounds of sirens would blanket entire regions, warning of the horror of an impending zombie attack.

But the Sentients had a weapon of their own. The remaining human leaders ordered a limited nuclear strike against the hordes of zombies and destroyed many cities.

The effect was limited. While the strike did vaporize a great deal of zombies the nuclear attack also killed plenty of sentient defenders, including New Olympians and Oberon's Children who had joined the fight. Worse, irradiated zombies made for deadly enemies.

But the point was made, the collective conscience the zombies had formed, known as the Hive, decided to offer peace and end the first war.

Still, the Sentients were stubborn and continued fighting. Many lives and much territory was lost before what few leaders that were left finally agreed to the Hive's overtures of peace…. Brooklyn had been amongst the delegates.

The result of the peace accords was exactly what Brooklyn was flying over, Reservations. The Hive set aside over a dozen reservations around the world for those crazy enough to remain free in their thoughts and actions.

In North America the plains states and Hawaii were set aside for the Sentients to do as they pleased. In Russia it was Siberia and Latvia along with much of eastern Russia, in China it was Mongolia, Indonesia was set aside for SE Asia, Australia got New Zealand and Tasmania, Africa got the Sahara region, the Mid East were shipped to the Sudan, South America got Brazil, Central America got Honduras. Iceland, Greenland, Japan, and Norway had also been set aside as well, but had since been eliminated by the Hive.

Brooklyn flew along in broad daylight, another so called 'gift' from the Hive so they would not have to wait until night to conduct negotiations with him. He soon found the church and came in for a landing to quickly slip in through the main doors. The program plaque at the side read 'Heather and DeSalle wedding.'

The wedding ceremony was already in progress as Brooklyn slipped into the crowd in order to watch.

The beautiful human-woman dressed in white was very dear to Brooklyn and it had been hard to let her go. Their relationship had started when she helped him evacuate five children from the Reveresburg massacre. Over the years that followed she had been a close friend, a lover, and a comrade at arms.

Now she was getting married for the first time to a nice human male that the red bomber knew would take good care of her.

Brooklyn tried to smile, but it was hard to do so. He knew he had not lost her because of their difference of species, he knew how little of a difference that made in this harsh world. He also knew that she still loved him, even as she spoke her vows to her new husband.

But, Brooklyn was a Governor within the Reservation, an important leader, all of the remaining Sentient beings had to come first before his own interests. Because of that, Brooklyn could not take care of Heather, and after a long love affair they went their separate ways. Now, they were both married to other people.

As the beautiful bride and the handsome groom recited their vows of eternal love, Brooklyn was aware of the church doors creaking open. He glanced over his shoulder to see a Currier slipping in and slowly walking his way.

Brooklyn sighed, he already knew that he would be missing the reception as duty was about to call.

The Currier saluted and handed the Gargoyle a message before slipping out as quietly as possible.

Brooklyn did not open the message immediately, instead he watched the newlyweds kiss and clapped along with the others, he was happy for Heather. It was then that he opened the message and read what was inside.

He sighed as he crumpled the message after reading it. The message read of another threat to the shaky peace that had taken place far from here. A group of zombies had violated the DMZ borders and attacked a group of teenagers, one had made it to a nearby town for help, the others were missing and presumed dead.

The message went on to state that the other Governors were gathering in the Reservation Capitol of Jackson, Wyoming to discuss war. To consider using the only effective weapon the Sentients had over the zombies: the remaining stockpiles of nuclear warheads.

Brooklyn knew that if the thousands of remaining nuclear weapons were used the zombie threat would end, and so would all complex life on the planet for the next ten thousand years. Another solution would have to be found.

He threw the ball of paper aside as he already knew he would have to fix this situation, to literally save the world once again.

Brooklyn slipped out before the marriage ceremony was over and made his way home, a modest ranch at the edge of the small city.

The moment he touched down in his yard he was instantly swarmed and tackled by a small horde of children. He fell to the soft moist grass while laughing, trying to savor this moment, to add it to his memories forever. Soon he would be facing the undead and all horror they brought… then he would rely on such pleasant memories to stave off madness.

Brooklyn never had a child of his own, but in these troubled times there were plenty of orphaned children to adopt. He and his mate Katana now cared for fifteen children of various backgrounds, including humans and Oberon's Children.

When he stood he saw Katana standing at the doorway. As he gave her a kiss he felt bad for the seriousness of his visit, of the fact that the kids would have to go to caretakers once again and hope their adopted parents would return.

"The state needs us," Brooklyn said to Katana.

Her smile instantly fell, "what's the situation?"

"Another cell of zombies has gone rogue," Brooklyn said as he followed her inside; she instantly started packing their gear. "The rogue cell attacked a group of teenagers within our borders."

"Is this a search and rescue? Or a body recovery," Katana demanded as she laced her sword and hung it over her shoulder.

Brooklyn sighed, there had been a Sentient Reservation in Japan. A small movement within the population decided to rebel and attacked the Hive near Tokyo. In retaliation the Hive crushed the Reservation, drowning the survivors in the Sea of Japan.

The Hive allowed a few survivors to escape in order to inform the other Reservations of the price of violating the peace accords, Katana had been one of them.

This scenario had taken place two other times in other parts of the world with similar results.

"Its just like all the other missions," Brooklyn replied. "There really is no reliable information."

"Then go get Val, if you haven't already," Katana said, her voice dark and serious as she always was when it came to dealing with the Hive.

Brooklyn assumed it was because she relived the days when the Nippon Reservation was crushed around her. When she was forced to stand with the other 'lucky' survivors and witness the old and young herded into the rolling surf where they would die of drowning or exposure over the course of a week.

Katana was hardly special, these troubled times everyone had a reason for revenge against the Hive, all had witnessed their share of horror.

Brooklyn saved his wings by taking a bike several miles to the south, outside of town; there he rolled into the driveway of another ranch.

The yard was well decorated with marble sculptures in every state of completion. In fact, a tall, slim, male Gargoyle was outside working on his latest creation, chiseling a block of marble into a winged woman. He was a talented artist and Brooklyn shook his hand, but he was not the reason for Brooklyn's visit. That reason was sun bathing in the backyard.

Val lay naked on the coarse grass while watching her horses play in the fenced off pasture. Finding the female gargoyle warrior in such a state was nothing out of the ordinary. Val was very proud of her athletic body and believed in naturalism and of free sex. She loved her boyfriend but would never marry him, she believed life was too short and violent to turn down good sex with any partner.

"Val," Brooklyn hailed.

Val propped herself on an elbow, she wore mirrored sun glasses and her dark hair was wet and swept back. She had a body that put Katana's to shame (though her's was fantastic as well). Large breasts, lean muscles, and not an ounce of fat, it was certainly understandable of why Val was proud of it.

Val had been a Canadian Gargoyle before the war. Early in the war she went with her clan's warriors to attempt to save Toronto from the undead invasion; the war party didn't even make it that far.

The Canadian Gargoyles attempted to fight through waves and waves of zombies… Val was the only survivor. Among those lost to the undead were her former mate, a tragic event that helped shape her view on love and sex.

She returned to Yellowknife and convinced the remainder of the clan to hide and wait. Because of her wise counsel the Nanuuk Clan was one of the largest Gargoyle clans left in the world.

Val, however, vowed to battle the Hive until she was dead, or until she liberated her captured comrades.

Still, Brooklyn felt as if his Katana had the better personality. Though Val had seen tragedy twice in her life, first when her clan was chased out of their traditional homeland in Greenland by humans, and again during the war against the undead. Val still kept a mercenary, soldier of fortune attitude toward life in general.

For her everything was excitement and arousal.

"Why don't you strip off those itchy clothes and join me," Val winked.

"The state needs us," Brooklyn replies.

Val smiled, "finally! I was just starting to get bored!"

Brooklyn assembled Val and Katana and they started out immediately. The journey would be exhausting as they could not go straight to the incident site, but first had to meet with Congress in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Brooklyn put up his comrades in a hotel for the day while he would go and try to head off annihilation with Congress.

Congress, the gathered leaders of the North American Reservation, set up government in the gym of the local high school. As Brooklyn made his way through rings of guards he could already hear loud arguing inside.

He paused at the door long enough to sigh in frustration. The Sentient Reservations had been ordered by the Hive to use a Republican form of government, so the people voted for their representatives who would serve in Congress.

Too bad the Hive did not give any further instructions on how to run the Reservations. The people tended to vote for young leaders, those that advocated harsh treatment toward the Hive, including war.

Brooklyn knew that the Hive was right about one thing, Sentients were stubborn, they would never give up the fight. Eventually the Sentients would vote for war and the Hive would have their excuse to wipe them all out.

He emerged into the gym and walked before the bickering leaders of the last free humans and Gargoyles and stood behind the podium; the leaders slowly fell silent, Brooklyn still carried a great deal of weight with them due to his great service in the wars, at least for now.

"I hear a lot of angry voices here," Brooklyn said. "Voices that demand retribution and war. I just ask for a chance. Give me a chance to find the lost kids and talk to the Hive and head off an incident. If I fail…" Brooklyn was silent for a moment, his next words were sour in his mouth. "Then you can have your war and I will fight for you to my last breath."

Congress, made up of young warlord wannabes gave a guttural cheer, it was clear that they loved the idea.

Brooklyn sat at the shotgun seat of a speeding SUV. He had been fortunate to call off Congress from declaring war, at least for now. In return Congress had granted him better equipment and more personnel in order to find the missing teenagers.

Brooklyn felt pressure to bring results. Either to find and capture the trespassing zombies, or to find the teens, alive preferably. That would be the only way to swerve Congress from declaring war.

He glanced over his shoulder to see the two sleeping ladies in the back seat and missed his family. He remembered when he was able to sleep like they were now, before he felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. Before he had to keep the remaining Sentients from destroying themselves in a foolish war against the nearly invincible Hive.

Still, he felt lucky. He had so many beautiful people depending on his every decision. For their sake he would avoid war with the Hive, at all costs.

It was near evening when they arrived near the target area of their mission, outside the former site of Princeton, South Dakota.

"We are going to head in immediately," Brooklyn reported to the logistics officer who had been provided by Congress along with a hundred warriors who would remain in reserve. "Make camp here, but be ready. We may need you at any time tonight." Brooklyn ordered.

Val and Katana were very quick to pack up the necessary gear for an overnight mission. They were ready by the time Brooklyn was through with his briefing by slinging on backpacks.

Brooklyn put on his backpack, shouldered a bola launcher and a grenade rifle, he nodded toward his assistants and they took off toward the city; preferring to fly over before hiking in.

They pulled a low altitude orbit over Princeton, searching for the missing teens or any threats in the area. All they found was a small, shattered, village that was long overgrown by tall oaks.

The three landed just outside of town and prepared to conduct another search on foot. First, Brooklyn checked his satellite read out of the area (thankfully, the zombie Hive could not take out telecommunications.) The area was clear, even Minnesota-land across the DMZ which now firmly belonged to the Hive was quiet.

"No sign of them," Brooklyn reported to Katana and Val. "But when we go in always act as if they are watching, because they are. Val, I want you covering our backs, keep to the treetops. We all know what to do, we've done it a million times before. We are the best at this, that is why we are here."

Val and Katana nodded

At least Princeton wasn't very big…

The small village of Princeton had been on the receiving end of several offensives and counter offensives during the war. In fact, the first feature Brooklyn and Katana passed were the slit trenches where the residents took shelter from rampaging zombies and falling explosives during attacks.

Now, long abandoned, Princeton was being overrun by an oak forest that had originated from nearby former agricultural fields. The shattered buildings now had trees growing through them, tough grasses and fungus broke up the streets and sidewalks. The skeletons of the war's casualties long disguised by nature.

After two hours of searching Brooklyn moved aside a clump of leaves as Katana searched nearby.

"I think I found the missing girl," Katana cried.

Twenty feet away Brooklyn said, "yeah, I think I found her too."

Katana and Brooklyn went to the remains of the village post office and there they took out rations.

"We found the girl," Brooklyn reported via communicator to Val. "No sign of the boy. Wait until we're done eating and you can have dinner as well. Prepare to spend the night."

"Copy," Val muttered in reply over the mic.

Brooklyn and Katana chewed in silence, watching the setting sun's rays broadcast through the shattered buildings. Though it had been a demanding day Brooklny felt little hunger, it felt as if his stomach had twisted all around and lit itself on fire.

"You need to eat," Katana commented.

Brooklyn grunted in return.

"What are you thinking about," Katana asked.

Brooklyn was silent for a long moment before responding, "about how nice it would be to have children of our own."

"You know how much I would like that," Katana replied with a guarded expression; they already had this conversation before and she already knew his feelings on the matter.

Brooklyn continued. "I don't want to bring up our children in a world where we could see the dismembered corpse of a young woman and eat immediately afterward as if it were nothing," Brooklyn said.

"I know that's how you feel," Katana sighed. "But we only live once, and despite our circumstances we could give our children a happy upbringing. Our adopted children aren't complaining." She laughed. "Our eldest is doing well in Congress."

"Maybe, if Congress ever stops its saber rattling…" Brooklyn said.

"Sure," Katana replied. She knew that many women had loved Brooklyn but eventually left him, all brokenhearted. This was because Brooklyn never gave them what they wanted, he was for the people first and everything else came second. Katana had long learned to live with Brooklyn's incredible red hot passion and ice cold neglect. She knew Brooklyn was a great man and complimented her by making her his mate, she assured herself that all else would come in time. "So what's the plan?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

"We'll set up a blind and see if the zombies return to finish their meal," Brooklyn replied. "If we're lucky enough and the zombies return, we'll capture them, if we can."

After the grim task of rearranging the dead girl from her resting place to an open spot on Main street, Brooklyn and Katana set up shop on the Post Office. As night fell ominous clouds rolled in from the west and soon freezing rain began to fall, pinging and clanging on the naked rusting metal of the town, as well as moistening the dead girl's gray flesh.

Brooklyn and Katana shared a waterproof sleeping bag, which actually helped alleviate the misery greatly.

"This reminds me of when we first met," Katana commented to her man.

Brooklyn smiled in recognition.

"At the end of the third war we were posted to that terrible building without a roof and it started snowing," Katana said. "We just had that one blanket and you started kissing me and tearing my clothes off, you couldn't hold yourself back…" She noticed that Brooklyn's smile had faltered. He was frowning and premature care lines were showing between his eyes and at the corner of his mouth.

"Three wars have broken out between us and Them," Brooklyn said. "Each time the Hive has destroyed a Reservation. I wonder how long until they are sick of us as pets and wipe us all out."

"Maybe you worry too much," Katana said while planting a kiss on his beak. "Perhaps you worry too much and everything will turn out okay in the end."

Brooklyn was surprised at her break in protocol, normally his woman was dead serious on a hunt like this one. But as she kissed his face and ran her tongue down his throat, he couldn't help himself.

He felt like an animal when he rolled her on her back. Kissing ferociously while his hands searched her warm flesh as if for the first time, feeling her soft skin and inviting curves.

Clothes slipped off as if made of liquid, her soft skin, his hard muscles, bound together.

"Hello, hey!" A tinny voice cried from abandoned communicator. "Brooklyn! Pick up the communicator!" Val's voice cried.

Just about to finish the act, Brooklyn heard the communicator. Sweaty and slightly panting, he snatched up the device, "yes, Val!"

"Look at the bait," Val's annoyed voice growled.

Brooklyn took a quick glance, "shit!" He hissed as he saw four zombies surrounding the dead girl.

"I'm sorry, Brooklyn," Katana commented, trying to hide her emotions. She had never broken protocol before, but she just wanted him to be happy, especially with her. Now she had endangered the mission.

"Don't worry, lets get our stuff on and bag these suckers," Brooklyn replied.

"Do you want me to take a shot," Val hissed from the communicator.

"Keep watching our backs, Val," Brooklyn replied as he hurriedly threw on his body armor.

It took several tense seconds for Katana and Brooklyn to rearrange themselves in order to engage the enemy; thankfully the quartet of zombies continued their feast.

"Net and bola guns only," Brooklyn whispered. "I want to bring functioning zombies back to the Hive when I scold them for violating our borders once again."

"Yes, Brooklyn," his faithful mate replied.

Katana and Brooklyn took aim, it would take some trick shooting to get all of the zombies before they reacted; but Brooklyn and Katana had been worst situations before. They fired simultaneously, nets and bolas streaking to the massed target.

Before the ordinance hit, however, the non-lethal weapons burned to ash in mid air.

All of the zombies noticed Brooklyn and Katana now; one however, rose to hover in the air. It had been a woman and as she hovered twelve feet in the air with a shield of fire surrounded her, she was a super zombie, a pyro.

"Take a shot, Val! We're in trouble!" Brooklyn cried into the mic.

Val didn't bother with bolas or nets, she fired a rifled grenade that eliminated one of the regular zombies.

The super zombie was free to take a shot and did so. She moved the fire shield and molded it into huge fire ball that she flung at Katana and Brooklyn. The two Gargoyles tossed as much gear and their selves out of the way before the Post Office was engulfed in flame.

Brooklyn hit the ground, his gear scattering around him. He wasn't sure where Katana had ended up, but hoped she was okay. He lunged after the grenade rifle that lay nearby, but a zombie noticed him first.

The zombie charged in as Brooklyn grabbed the weapon, but it was too late to aim at the attacking undead. Instead the gargoyle used the tube to hold the zombie off as it tried to claw out his throat.

"Val!" Brooklyn cried. "We're in trouble! Take a shot!" He rolled around with the zombie who was much stronger than he was. "Val! Take a shot!"

But while he was fighting with the zombie, the super zombie rose before him, flame shield blazing brightly around her.

"Oh, shit." Brooklyn muttered.

But as the super zombie rose, it suddenly shattered like an over filled water balloon; Val had saved him again with a well aimed explosive round.

Brooklyn used all of his effort and threw the zombie off of him. He grabbed the grenade rifle and fired into it, the zombie was torn in half.

Finally, silence reigned once more in the long shattered town.

"Katana!" Brooklyn cried as he jumped to his feet. "Katana!"

"I'm here," she said as she rounded a former mom and pop grocery store.

Brooklyn sighed and rushed to her, kissing her as Val landed before the downed super zombie.

Assured, Brooklyn and Katana went to what was left of the zombie as well, its one remaining arm was flailing as the zombie lay on the ground.

Brooklyn looked to Val and said: "Thank you."

"You've saved my life countless times," Val replied. "Just make sure that when a zombie is about to put me under, that you don't miss. You owe me now, don't forget that."

"I won't." Brooklyn nodded quickly, "there was another zombie…"

"I got it," Katana replied. "I was lucky enough to land with my net gun and managed to take it."

"Good work," Brooklyn said as he kneeled before the super zombie.

She, or the former 'she', lay with her legs and right arm torn off. Her only functioning arm flailed about as if it were attempting to get back up. The super zombie had been quite beautiful in her former life, but it was good not to notice such things.

"Who sent you," Brooklyn demanded.

The zombie's eyes were wide and blazing as it struggled. Brooklyn was aware of, and had hunted plenty of rogue zombies, but this was the first super zombie who had ever violated sentient territory.

"Did the Hive send you," Brooklyn demanded.

The super zombie, who had been a beautiful human woman, fell still. The fire in its eyes drained and its skin went gray and cold.

Brooklyn sighed and slowly stood. He knew the Hive could not keep control of all of its many millions of normal zombies, but the Horde had always kept close watch over its super zombies. Without a confession from the zombie itself it was impossible to assign blame.

"Get our prisoner," Brooklyn ordered his ladies. "Let's rendezvous with our support personnel in two hours. I will meet with the Hive tomorrow and find out what's going on."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: An Offer You Can t Refuse.

When Brooklyn was on deployment, life was more like a cycle than set in segments, as it was in the civilian world.

The day before Brooklyn, Katana, and Val arrived in Princeton, searched the city, then set up an ambush for trespassing zombies; and the ambush was successful, mostly. The rest of the night was spent clearing up, packaging what was left of the destroyed zombies for safe disposal, securing the prisoner, and then granting the bait an impromptu burial.

As the sun was rising when they dug a shallow hole and put what was left of bait girl inside; her only grave marker being an orange painted stake in case her parents (if they were still living) wanted to transfer her to another burial plot.  
If the girl had to stay in Princeton until Gideon blew his horn, Brooklyn hoped that being placed in the village Veteran s Cemetery would help calm her soul. She was placed near a noncommissioned Sherman Tank, an old artillery piece, and a plaque commemorating the Dakota War of 1862, all rusted and tangled in ivy, monuments to a bygone era.  
The morning went into overtime when the Logistics men on patrol found the missing boy. The Medics attached to the mission determined that he had died of exposure complicated to alcohol poisoning the morning after the attack. They also put him in the Veteran s Cemetery with an orange stake.

With that all over Brooklyn and the crew packed up camp and with the sun blazing high in the sky, they were on the road to Fargo.

The world seemed to be a little blurry as the sun burned from early morning to noon, this would be just the first night of sleep missed of many to come for Brooklyn, just the first cycle.

Brooklyn again glanced over the seat at his ladies; both Katana and Val were asleep, leaning their heads against each other. Again Brooklyn wished he was so unburdened that he could sleep like that and longed for the comfort of the grave, or at least a decent cup of coffee.

Around noon they stopped at the Milbank settlement where Brooklyn would withdraw of that colony s fuel savings. From there they would travel to Fargo and the nearest large Hive outpost.

Once there Brooklyn saw the wave of the future.

The Hive had an interesting way of ending the incidents between themselves and the Sentients: build a wall; a big giant nearly half a continent long wall.

As they stopped and got out they could see the operation in action. Endless lines of Hive Minions, stretching from deep in Minnesota-land and beyond, all were carrying as much rock as they could handle from quarries unknown.

At the head of the line were so called super zombies who were protected by warriors. Earth Minions would lift a twelve foot deep cube of ground from the Earth and drop the spent dirt away. Telekinetics would then form the piles of rock into a pillar of the wall and lift them into the trenches. Then Pyrokinetics would superheat the new wall of rock until it all fused together and another section of wall was created. Regular Zombies, now spent of their rocks, would fill in the base before returning the way they had come.  
The Super Zombies would then shift down and the process would start all over again, all day and through the night until the entire North American Reservation was walled off.

Brooklyn walked toward the super zombies with Val, Katana, and the prisoner following close behind. The warrior zombies stepped up; surrender, they said.

Shut the fuck up, Brooklyn growled. I need to speak with the Hive.

You may speak with us, the warriors said in unison. All represent the Hive.

You know who we want to talk to, Brooklyn said. We ll wait.

The wait was surprisingly short as in the past the Hive often kept Brooklyn waiting for days. This time, however, the form of a Gargoyle flew in from the east and landed before them; Brooklyn was surprised to see who it was.

Angela? Brooklyn cried. It s been years!

Greetings Brooklyn, Angela answered, she looked as good as ever, maybe even better than before she was turned; the Solanum Parasite sure knew how to upgrade living flesh.

Brooklyn ventured to touch her, you look, feel, good!

The Solanum Parasite repairs my cells, as long as I exist I will be young and beautiful, Angela/Hive said. Should you join you will never know the betrayal of your body through aging.

I know, I am quite an expert in the Solanum life cycle, Brooklyn muttered. One day I will find your weakness and banish you back to the deep ocean trenches and the bottom of geysers where you belong.

Why are you using harsh words, Brooklyn, Angela/Hive asked almost in a hurt voice. I called off the attacks and allowed you insanes plenty of room for you to do whatever it is you do.

You have a funny way of showing it, Brooklyn growled as he grabbed the prisoner by its chains and dragged it over. I caught one of YOUR minions violating my territory AGAIN! Brooklyn shoved the prisoner at Angela.

Angela/Hive took a long, cold look at the prisoner zombie and said, this is not one of my Minions. She said as the warriors took the prisoner a few yards away. Once there a Pyrokinetic Minion stepped up and melted the prisoner, issuing an indescribable stench.

UHG! Val cried with a hand over her mouth and nose, How bout a little warning next time!

But Brooklyn was silent, standing in confusion; the Hive Mind was many things, but it was not dishonest . It was almost admirable that way.

How could this zombie not be yours, Brooklyn said.

I am glad that you have come, Angela/Hive said. It saved me a trip to meet you.

Brooklyn was silent, still confused. The hell do you want with me beside to enslave my brain?

We are at civil war, Angela/Hive continued. A former Child of Oberon broke from my control and she can force other Minions under her control. She can still see my thoughts and so all of my efforts to bring her back have been for naught. I need your help as she cannot see into the mind of the insane. Brooklyn, I ask that you gather as many of your troops as possible to aid in an attack on Avalon where she keeps her headquarters.

Brooklyn was still nearly catatonic with shock, Congress will never sign an alliance with YOU!

Refuse and I shall mass fifty million of my Minions to destroy the North American Reservation, Angela/Hive continued. The best of you shall be absorbed and the rest will be drowned in the Pacific Ocean. Accept and complete your mission and I shall grant your Reservation the state of California and I shall free ten thousand of my Minions from my control in order to live with you. Make your decision, Brooklyn.

Wait, Brooklyn said. You can make zombies normal again?

That which has been colonized by the Solanum Parasite can never be truly Sentient again. But, I can cut their minds off from the Hive and they will be free in thought and action for the rest of their existence. Make your decision.

Brooklyn glanced at Val and Katana.

Don t do it, Katana said. Death is better than slavery to the Hive!

Katana s words were noble and romantic, keeping death before honor was a nice fantasy, but Brooklyn knew the Hive always told the truth and he was without options.

The Proud American Reservation does pledge its support for the Hive and will aid in its battles.

Excellent! Angela/Hive said. And to show that we are honorable in our side of the agreement, I will release the vessel known as Angela.

Brooklyn was shocked when Angela suddenly toppled and fell into his arms. She looked up at him, appearing exhausted, Angela shall be the go between for our people. And Angela fell totally unconscious.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: The Resistance.

Angela's lifeless weight caused her to slip through Brooklyn's grasp. He tried to lighten the fall as much as possible and laid her on the grass.

"Angela?" Brooklyn asked cautiously.

Angela slowly climbed to her feet and looked at her hands as if she had never seen them before, she smiled. "I'm free," Angela said and slapped her hands on Brooklyn's shoulders. "I'M FREE!" She laughed

Brooklyn, Katana, and Val just stared on in silent shock.

Angela laughed and danced a little circle, "how long has it been?"

"What do you remember?" Brooklyn asked.

"I don't know, everything's hazy after we stormed Mercy Hospital," Angela answered. "Did we find Elisa?"

"It's been twenty years, Angela," Brooklyn said. "We found Elisa later. She's a Super Zombie now."

Angela heard him and noticed the way everyone was staring at her, her smile faltered. "Where's the rest of the clan?"

"You can't possibly have no memories of the last two decades," Brooklyn growled. "As a zombie you killed friends of mine!"

"I'm sorry, Brooklyn," Angela said. "I just don't remember much. Everything is hazy and otherworldly. Where's Broadway?"

"He's fucking dead, Angela!" Brooklyn shouted. "The army thought he was one of your people and shot him! His bones are probably still scattered across Reveresburg!"

Angela burst into tears, sobbing loudly while the Minions watched on, if they could still comprehend what was happening.

"Let's get back in the vehicles, huh!" Katana shoved Brooklyn and Angela toward the SUVs. "We're making a scene before the enemy!"

"We're stopping," Katana said as the vehicle convoy passed the former city of Valley.

"We don't have time," Brooklyn grumped, he and Angela had not spoken since their reunion, hours ago.

"Obviously you need some rest," Katana answered hotly. "We need Angela, how dare you make her upset!"

"Please, I'm okay," Angela croaked miserably.

"No, we need a mental health break," Katana cried. "Driver! Pull this vehicle over!"

"I'm under Brooklyn's command…"

Katana drew the sword of her name, something she could do in less than a second, and rested it against his throat.

"You're the boss," the driver said and pulled over outside the small town.

Valley City had been destroyed during the first war and what was left of it was twisted rusting metal and moldy boards that followed the highway for a short time. Since the town was obviously unsafe they drove past it for a short time and got out at a wetland.

"Make camp!" Brooklyn roared after slamming the door shut behind him. "No fucking around! We're out of here at four thirty in the morning! Not including time for breakfast!" He turned to his mate and growled, "You can take first watch!"

"Yes, sir," Katana sighed and closed the car door behind her.

Val stepped up next to Katana and put her hand on her shoulder, "let me talk to him."

"Good luck," Katana sighed and called out to the troops. "Lieutenant Davis! Follow me to set up a defensive perimeter, we have first watch."

Still grumbling, Brooklyn stalked off into the high grasses of the eternal plains while trying to read a map of the region, he stopped and yelled: "VAL!"

"What?" Brooklyn was surprised that she was following right behind him.

Brooklyn narrowed his eyes, "I need you to contact your buddies in the Resistance."

Normally, having a relationship with the Resistance was a criminal offence. "What makes you think…" She began.

"Because I'm not stupid, just do it!" Brooklyn roared and stalked off.

Val continued following.

"What do you want," Brooklyn demanded.

"You and I need to chat," Val replied.

"Fine!" Brooklyn growled and marched on until he found a pond overgrown with cattails that was out of sight from the camp. "What?"

Val shoved him to the ground, hard.

Brooklyn was about to be angry, to fight back; but Val ripped open her jacket. Seeing her naked breasts shocked Brooklyn into quiet submission.

"Val, I'm mated to Katana," Brooklyn said as she tossed her jacket aside and kneeled before his pelvis.

"Your feelings of monogamy are cute, but we don't have the time," Val said as she opened his fly. "We're trying to save the world from nuclear holocaust."

Brooklny's penis popped out and Val put her lips around the tip.

Brooklyn felt something more than pleasure as Val moved her lips up and down the shaft, he felt a primal rage building. He felt the last twenty years crashing around his shoulders. All the loved ones he had lost, the horror he had witnessed.

He growled, grabbed her ears and thrusted. But that was not enough, he threw her off and roared.

He dove in on her, but was not himself. He was a wild animal and was going to tear her in half in his wild lust to find her soft parts for his pleasure.

After ripping off her pants he saw how vulnerable she looked in underwear. Somehow, that triggered a return of his frontal lobe and he stopped. "I'm sorry, Val. I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry…"

Normally, Val kind of liked the rough stuff, but in this case Brooklyn seriously scared her, she was shaking. "I can see why so many ladies like you. I couldn't find so much passion from ten men," she attempted a laugh but it came off as a croak, she retrieved her coat and put it back on.

"I told you I was mated to Katana! Why did you keep going," Brooklyn roared.

Val zipped her coat, "do you want me to bring Katana up here so we could both work on you?"

Brooklyn's rage left him.

"Sun Tzu say: making your ally cry a victorious war not make," Val said. "We need Angela, and we need you. Angela is the only one with a connection to the Hive Mind and you are the only leader we have in Congress trying to fix things instead of blowing shit up. So I am not going to sit idly by and watch as you lose your mind."

"So what," Brooklyn demanded as he stepped into a stand of shoulder high cattails, his feet sinking into the freezing mud of the pond. "So what? You thought my emotional scars needed sexual healing?"

"Sex, laughter, Lite Beer, Vodka, Marijuana, and morphine can heal all wounds," Val replied. "Oh! Also, flattering jeans, a diet that works, low cut tops… I'll keep you posted when I think of more."

"Unless you catch an STD," Brooklyn grumbled.

"We won't live long enough for VD to be a long term problem," Val said. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to finish myself off and I would appreciate a little privacy," Brooklyn replied.

"I could finish you off," Val said.

"I'll be okay by myself," Brooklyn growled.

"I can suck a mean dick if it means saving the world," Val smiled. "It will be an honor and a privilege to do my duty for the state and make you blow a load on my face."

Brooklyn laughed, "would you get out of here, you Canuck slut?"

Val waved him off and walked back to the camp.

Brooklyn actually did feel better, lighter and temporarily unburdened, when he emerged from the cattails. He hated to wonder if Val was onto something with the whole sexual healing thing. He stepped into the camp area where the SUV's were circled around a low fire and the troops who were not on watch were resting. Brooklyn picked up a radio and called Katana in for a meeting.

"Yes sir," Katana asked when she came in from the picket lines.

Brooklyn took her elbows and looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry," he said. "You were right, we needed some rest." He kissed her.

Katana was silent in confusion. Dealing with a crabby, grumpy, Brooklyn while on deployment had become common for her. Yet, this was his first apology for his actions and she could only wonder: why? What could have suddenly come over him to care for her feelings?

She then leveled a devastating glare at Val, knowing she had done something to her man.

"Thank you," Katana forced herself to whisper. "I will return to the sentries now."

Brooklyn smiled and returned to the fire, not noticing Katana's anguish.

Katana was wiping away tears when she rejoined the command post, silently crying. To Katana, Brooklyn was her great love and the security blanket for her sanity, but he was also her great pain. It was already hard enough to keep him without that famous slut Val fucking him in the woods.

Katana wondered if she could, maybe even should, kill Val. It wouldn't be the first time an officer was fragged and maybe this was the best reason for it.

Brooklyn sat next to Angela who lingered away from the others and appeared miserable, "I'm sorry," Brooklyn said to her.

"I know," Angela answered.

"How are you," Brooklyn asked.

"I guess I have been under Hive control for two decades," Angela monotoned. "Tonight is the first night that my mind has been free. I feel cold and alone, but for the first time in so long, I have hope."

Brooklyn smiled and rubbed her shoulder, "me too."

He stepped away from Angela and found a tree to sit against. He nibbled at an unheated MRE but was not terribly hungry.

While he ate he wrote a pair of letters, one to his adopted children and another to the students of the school of which he was principal.

He flipped on a flashlight and held it between his cheek and shoulder and aimed it at the paper while he wrote. He didn't think he would sleep that night.

Something startled him awake and he jumped! The flashlight he had been using was now on his lap and aiming into the sky, the paper and pen at his side. Stars splattered the night and the new sun was just a pink whisper on the horizon.

He looked up to see the darkened face of Katana who had her hand on his shoulder.

"What happened?" He demanded.

Katana was silent for a moment, causing Brooklyn to worry. He jumped to his feet while gathering his writing material, "what happened?"

"Listen," Katana whispered.

Brooklyn could hear it, on the nighttime breezes he could hear crashes and shattering from the direction of the abandoned town. Bandits, probably loyal to the Resistance, were in Valley City, looting.

Around him the company was slowly rousing and getting up, readying weapons.

Brooklyn checked his watch, "have you seen any of them," Brooklyn asked Katana.

"They haven't found us, yet."

Brooklyn sighed, the old frustration already building. "Its three thirty in the morning, why are you still on watch? Val was supposed to take over at two."

"I wasn't tired, so I let her rest," Katana answered.

Brooklyn nodded and then listened for another couple of moments, "what do you think?"

Among other attributes Katana was an excellent scout, tracker, and had excellent instincts for hidden dangers. In hazardous times like these, Katana's opinion was gold.

"I think it's a Resistance Raiding Party numbering over a hundred," Katana said. "They'll be crudely armed, but are experts with whatever weapon they have. If we confront them, we will take casualties."

"What," Brooklyn hissed. "That many? This far north! I'm going to have a long talk with Congress when we get home about tightening security! First three kids trespass and get eaten and now a hundred strong raiding party in North Dakota!" Brooklyn shook his head. "Heads are going to roll when I meet with Congress again!"

"What are your orders," Katana asked with uncharacteristic coldness.

Brooklyn sat for a moment, "I'm not going to risk a battle here in the middle of nowhere. We steal out of here as quietly as possible and report them later. Otherwise we'll continue on to Nebraska as planned."

The morning was pretty typical, no breakfast and brutally hard work before dawn. Brooklyn, along with his company, started pushing the cars in the direction of I-94 in order to maintain silence, but the progress was soon halted when Brooklyn realized that he was missing someone important.

"Where the hell is Val," Brooklyn hissed to those around him; the warriors glanced to each other in confusion. "Has anyone seen Val this morning?" Again everyone was silent.

Brooklyn looked back in the direction of camp, "come on, Val." He whispered to himself, she had never been missing before. "Katana, have you seen Val?"

Katana shook her head.

Brooklyn sighed and pointed at the nearest squad, "you men are with me. We will conduct a quick search. Katana, continue to lead the company to I-94."

But, just as they were about to leave, a lithe shadow shot in from above. Val, her dark hair bushy and her red skin moist landed next to their leader. "I slip away for a moment to take a bath in the pond and the next thing I know everyone's gone!" She exclaimed.

"Katana, continue to lead the company," Brooklyn ordered and grabbed Val by the crook of the wing and dragged her out of earshot of the others. "Next time you feel like cleaning up, don't. I think you'd rather be a little dirty than to be bushwacked and get your throat cut by Resistance raiders! You've been a warrior for twenty years, you should know better! You're lucky I even noticed you were gone!"

Val stood at attention, "I'm sorry, sir."

"Come on, we have a long day," Brooklyn said and they both returned to the company.

Brooklyn walked next to Angela as the others were either pushing the vehicles or were flanking. Brooklyn fell in step with Angela.

"You never introduced me to your new friends," Angela said.

Brooklyn chuckled, "I guess my manners could use a little help these days."

"I don't know, when we first met you tried everything you could to get me in bed and kept calling me Angie."

Brooklyn laughed, far louder than he intended, drawing annoyed looks from his soldiers. "Better times," he sighed. "Back then when we went out to fight we were always protecting each other and no one got killed."

Angela nodded.

"Well, I somehow managed to survive nearly twenty years of war," Brooklyn said. "Do you remember? I faced you on a couple of occasions while you were under their control."

"I don't," Angela answered. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble."

Brooklyn decided not to talk about it. "I was elected governor and now serve with the North American Congress. In my free time I help run the Cheyenne Federated Elementary School and I have adopted fifteen children. But I am most proud of her," he pointed at Katana. "That is my wife. She puts up with my nonsense for some reason."

"She is beautiful," Angela said.

"She is the whole deal," Brooklyn proclaimed. "A fantastic caring woman, very smart, and not so bad in the sack. I guess I was lucky for the war, because it brought her to me."

Angela giggled. "How did you meet?"

"She was brought from Japan during the second war," Brooklyn said. "But I didn't meet her until the peace accords. We made the ruins of Kansas City into our honeymoon suite." Brooklyn smiled, but it faded. "It's too bad she always has to come out and fight with me."

"I would think it would be romantic to fight with your partner at your side," Angela said.

"There's nothing romantic about this," Brooklyn said. "The way things are going one day one of us will be burying the other. But she's the best scout I have and possibly the greatest swordsperson on the planet. She can do anything with a blade or with her bare hands, including destroying large numbers of Minions."

"How about your other friend," Angela asked.

Brooklyn laughed, "Val? Explosives and firearms expert as well as formally trained by US Special Forces officers in small unit infantry tactics. When you need something or someone shot or blown up, no one is better. When I take Katana and Val into battle, I never have to worry about watching my back. You can never know how important that is, it's like having your house or car paid off in the before times."

"They sound like wonderful Gargoyles," Angela said

"They are," Brooklyn affirmed.

With the sun rising in earnest now, they reached the interstate and it was finally safe enough to start the vehicles. In moments they were on the road, first toward Fargo/Moorhead and then south on twenty nine toward Sioux City, a known Resistance stronghold.

Near the end of the day they reached what was known as the Yellow Zone, two hundred miles from the border of Hive Territory. Here was dotted with military outposts watching for attacks from the Resistance and rogue Minions, as well as keeping Sentients inside the Reservation.

At five, they reached the first outposts; it would be a long haul before the next and the border.

They pulled up at the first military base, the signs ordered that all vehicles had to stop and informed that the fire danger was medium and the security situation on the upcoming corridor was in the green.

Brooklyn pulled up at the Judas hole and was shocked at who stepped out.

"Mister Joe Toombs!" Brooklyn exclaimed happily and jumped out of the SUV to shake the old veteran's hand. "I can't believe you are still alive! The gods really do have a sense of humor!"

"You did really well for yourself," Joe smiled. "After all the pants wetting you did at the Battle of Bismarck."

"Wetting my pants," Brooklyn cried. "I seem to remember you as a skinny little blond recruit wondering if the zombies would enslave or eat you."

They both laughed together.

"Who is that," Angela asked Val and Katana as they still sat in the truck.

"They served at the Battle of Bismarck together," Katana answered. "The only major battle we won over the Hive without the aid of nuclear weapons. It's why we live in the plains states today."

"What are you doing commanding a bunker on the border," Brooklyn asked. "Did you fuck another general's daughter?"

Joe didn't laugh this time, "I think you should come inside and have a drink."

"Come on, Joe! This isn't a pleasure cruise! I gotta get to the next outpost before dark," Brooklyn cried.

Joe placed a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder, "I really think you should come in and have a drink with me," he insisted.

Brooklyn stopped laughing, sensing something was wrong. "Alright! Let's have a drink!" He faked a laugh and followed Joe into the control office.

Inside, booze was not waiting, "you are just as dense as ever, it's a wonder you're still alive." Joe said.

"Someone's still looking out for me," Brooklyn answered. "What's up?"

"I wanted to show you this," Joe took a poster from the front of the office and handed it to Brooklyn. "One of your friends from Congress brought it in around noon."

Brooklyn stared at it in silent enraged shock: it was a Wanted Poster featuring himself, Katana, and Val. "Was it a Praetorian Guard who brought it here?"

"Yeah," Joe said.

"Did they say anything, give any clues?" Brooklyn asked.

"Agents of Congress do not answer to the likes of Joe Toombs. You're on their shit list, what else do you need to know?"

Brooklyn was silent, Joe was right.

"I'm not near the border because I'm in trouble, for a change," Joe continued. "It's because my army has been deployed here in preparation for an attack. Rumor is that we are going to charge out of the Reservation and destroy the Minion Nodes in Minnesota. Then gloriously turn on the nearest major Node in Kansas City and destroy it as well. You know, because that worked so well during the last three wars. Most likely we will be destroyed in Minnesota and the Minions will have a free shot to destroy the Reservation. In a panic, Congress will launch it nukes."

"This just gets better and better," Brooklyn grumbled. "Sounds like Congress is gearing up for a war and doesn't want a Dove like me getting in their way."

"Maybe you need a long vacation in Rio, or something," Joe said. "I hear it's really nice in Florida this time of year. Good place to view the ICBMs as they arch across the sky."

Brooklyn nodded sadly.

"Some advice," Joe said. "Avoid everyone from this point on and trust no one."

"Sage," Brooklyn said.

"Hey," Joe smiled. "The Praetorians are still on base."

Brooklyn gave a wild, fearful, look. "Why didn't you say anything…"

"Relax," Joe said. "They're at the bar and probably will be out of commission until tomorrow. However, they left their Humvee unsecured."

"Joe, you old dog! Wouldn't they know," Brooklyn asked.

"Are you kidding? Shit goes missing around here all the time," Joe said. "People from the camps, Resistance infiltrators, sneak in here all and steal everything that's not nailed down."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4, Ronin.

One Humvee richer Brooklyn's convoy continued south in order to meet with the Resistance.

There was no stopping time, however, and afternoon soon burned into evening with sunset fast approaching. In these dangerous times it was better to hole up somewhere safe and wait out the night rather than taking your chances by traveling… an interesting consideration coming from a Gargoyle.

"Stop the convoy," Katana suddenly cried as they crossed a rolling hill. "Stop now!"

The four vehicles pulled to a stop and the warriors got out. They were nearing woodland country again, easily seen from their vantage at the top of the hill. Patchy forests cut the green fields under a dimming but cloudless sky, a distant river sparkled.

"What's up," Brooklyn asked his wife.

"There may be a trap down there," she replied.

"Shit," Val whispered as Brooklyn ducked back into the Humvee and took out the maps and satellite feed.

"Lock and load!" Brooklyn cried as he laid out the map across the hood of the Humvee and checked the satellite reports. The others clothed themselves in body armor and helmets, loading and readying guns and other weapons.

"Are we loading for Sentients or Minions," Val asked Brooklyn.

"Either way you're on the Fifty Mil," Brooklyn replied without looking up.

Val sighed in frustration, "I know that. I'm talking about the others."

"Let me worry about them," Brooklyn said, according the readouts the route, along with the rest of the state of South Dakota, was clear and quiet. But that hardly trumped Katana's reliable instincts.

He checked the map and his heart sank as what he saw did not surprise him. No side routes were well maintained or considered safe. Taking an alternate direction would waste nearly half a week and they would have to risk capture in nearly a dozen settlements.

"How sure are you," Brooklyn asked Katana.

Katana was already dressed for war, two Katana blades slung over her shoulders, a bow and full quiver of arrows, a bandolier of Shuriken, and four daggers that could be thrown. Petite Katana may not look fearsome, but she had killed hundreds while armed with less.

"Completely," she replied.

"That's too bad," Val said, she wore an American military helmet, green flack jacket, an now carried an impressive Browning heavy machinegun. "We are going to lose a lot of time going the Mount Rushmore way."

Brooklyn folded the map, "we are continuing forward."

"What," Val demanded and looked to Katana. "How many are down there?"

"I don't know," Katana answered.

Val glanced back to the company who still lingered outside their vehicles, "get inside and ready to move out!" She shouted at them before turning on Brooklyn. "There could be a thousand of them just waiting to bushwack us!"

Brooklyn was silent.

"I'm not going to throw my life away because you are too lazy to take another road!" Val cried. "I'm leaving and I am taking as many with me as I can convince of your foolishness." She turned away.

"Before you go, you should take a look at this," Brooklyn handed her the Wanted poster. "Katana, you should look too."

"What!" Val demanded upon seeing her own picture.

"I don't understand," Katana said to Brooklyn.

"What's not to understand," Brooklyn said. "Congress did not trust my promise to fight for them and put out a hit on me and my friends; that would be you two, by the way."

"Those motherfuckers!" Val roared.

"Our children," Katana breathed to Brooklyn.

Brooklyn frowned and looked away, "I don't know what Congress wants with us. Maybe they just want to keep us in a place where they can keep us under control, maybe they'll line us up with our families before a bullet scarred wall. Either way, I don't want to find out. So let's not do anything foolish like go to a settlement where their agents can capture us."

"I had a nice house, a good boyfriend, and horses!" Val cried.

"Maybe you'll find something better when you settle in the freelands, like Katana and I will have to," Brooklyn said. "Babe, what's the name for the Samurai without a master?"

"Ronin," Katana answered.

"We're Ronin now," Brooklyn said. "We no longer have a state to serve, which means our contracts to each other are null and void. I am going to continue south and meet with the Resistance as planned. Then I am going to attempt to lead an attack on Avalon, as per my deal with the Hive. If any of you want out, now's your chance."

"I am still with you," Angela said.

"As am I," Katana said.

Val sighed, "I have nothing better to do, I guess."

"Alright," Brooklyn smiled. "Let's go for a ride."

"I'm on point," Katana said.

Progress was slow.

The convoy had to travel slowly to allow Katana to scout ahead. Brooklyn hated it when she was out and unprotected, he also hated the rapid descent of the sun. Once it was dark it would be easier for any ambush, human or otherwise, and would be harder to hold such an attack off.

"Hold up," Katana reported via mic from ahead.

Brooklyn cast a nervous glance at the sun before looking into the view screen (Katana had taken a camera along so Brooklyn could see what she was looking at). Sure enough, humanoids were wandering in a loose group across the Interstate near a rusted out vehicle. Their lack of cohesion advertised that they were probably more rogue Minions.

"You have to be kidding me," Brooklyn muttered to himself before calling Katana. "Is that all of them?"

"The region is ripe with wandering groups," Katana reported. "Minion and otherwise."

"Fantastic," Brooklyn said. "We're moving through. You better be handy with that thing, Val."

"Yeah, yeah," Val muttered as she stood behind the machine gun out the Humvee's porthole.

Brooklyn's crew came up on the herd of Minions in a remarkably short amount of time; they pulled to a stop.

"Hey Brooklyn, I've thought of more cures to life's ails," Val said.

"Yeah," Brooklyn said.

"Diet Soda that tastes like the real thing," Val said. "Movies where they cast Russell Crowe appropriately…"

Those in the vehicle chuckled.

"When hot shirtless boys play volleyball on a sunlit beach," Val continued. "It's not so bad when girls do the same thing."

Brooklyn chuckled, then spoke through the radio, "Katana, we're waiting on you."

"I don't know," Katana reported back.

Brooklyn closed his eyes in annoyed frustration, "we can't camp here, babe. We need to reach Vermillion tonight."

"These Minions are the only ones I see," she said. "But there may be enemies hiding in the trees."

"Copy," Brooklyn switched frequencies so he could address all the vehicles. "There is a small horde of rogue Minions ahead and we need to push through. We are not here to retake the highway, the cavalry will do that later. Just push through and do not stop for anything. If we get split up, regroup on the other side."

"Val! Are you ready?" Brooklyn asked and she nodded. "Then let's go."

The driver powered the Humvee forward, slowly climbing in speed until the needle was buried in the red. The mob of Minions loomed close, eventually turning their attention to the charging vehicles.

"Katana," Brooklyn called over the mic. "I don't want you to do anything unless the shit really hits the fan."

A moment later Val's fifty millimeter roared in the direction of the mob, almost instantly two of the Minions fell apart. The rest charged at the convoy, they jumped over the concrete center divider and came near the rusted out car.

Val's bullets chewed apart another Minion and were working on a fourth when a Minion touched the rusted abandoned car. Brooklyn seemed to remember trying to say something when that car erupted.

Brooklyn didn't remember the explosion itself, just that suddenly he and the Humvee was engulfed in a great black plume. The front visors were shattered, Val was slumped in her harness and was either dead or unconscious, the driver was screaming out something while wiping blood from his eyes, and Angela was reaching out from the back seat to grab the wheel and keep the Humvee on the road.

Brooklyn couldn't hear because his possibly shattered ear drums were emitting a scream into his brain. His sense of balance was skewed and the world tilted and spun; the driver continued screaming unintelligible words.

Brooklyn was aware that they were stopping.

"Don't stop! Keep going," Brooklyn screamed, but his own words were cottony and muffled in his own mind. He slammed his own foot over the driver's, bucking the Humvee forward.

Brooklyn slapped out the spiderweb shattered visors and they burst out of the black cloud. Soon, however, the engine began to chug and struggle, the vehicle came to a clattering stop.

Feeling drunk and confused, Brooklyn tumbled out of the shotgun seat. Unable to gain his balance, he crawled along in the waxy dry grass until finally, his dinner was regurgitated.

Thankfully, that seemed to do the trick. His world leveled out and refocused and as he stood he became aware that someone was shooting at him.

Angela rushed out and grabbed him, dragging him back to the safety of the Humvee.

"The hell," Brooklyn asked while still feeling dizzy, he now saw incoming rounds coming in from the surrounding forest. "What's going on?"

"Ambushed! By Resistance," the Driver cried.

"How's Val," Brooklyn tried to get to his feet but a round slapped into the Humvee just above his head. "Val!" Brooklyn cried with no answer. "Where is the rest of the convoy?"

"They're over there," Angela pointed in the direction of the smoke plume.

"They must have turned back at the explosion," the driver added.

"Damn it," Brooklyn growled. "I told them to regroup on this side! Doesn't anyone listen anymore?"

Resistance Fighters streaked in from the woods while covering fire raged over their heads. They soon surrounded the Humvee before Brooklyn had a chance to get a weapon. "Surrender!" They cried.

Brooklyn and the Driver locked eyes, it was a hopeless situation and they knew it.

"Alright! We're done!" Brooklyn cried and raised his arms.

"Boy, my luck is fantastic lately," Brooklyn muttered as they were taken into custody. "To be chumped out by Resistance Fighters in my own country."

"Hello, Brooklyn," a thin shirtless man with every muscle visible and a skull painted over his face greeted. "I was wondering I would finally capture a member of Congress."

Katana landed on a nearby tree branch, knocked and arrow, and watched the developing situation below. Her man had been captured by the Resistance, but that was not the worst that could happen. She waited.

She and Brooklyn had set out on this doomed journey in order to meet Demona and Xanatos, now leaders of the Resistance. This warparty could bring them to meet with said leaders, so being captured was not necessarily a bad thing and thus negating the need for her to spring a foolish rescue attempt.

However, Katana would be there to watch, a waiting Nemesis, ready to spring in case things went wrong. She would wait, just in case, along every step of the trip to come.

"I am Brooklyn, I have been traveling to Sioux City to meet with Demona and or Xanatos," Brooklyn said. "It is very important I meet with them as soon as possible."

"And so you shall," Skull Face smiled. "As my war prize. Demona just may give you the 'Alejandro' treatment."

Brooklyn shook his head sarcastically, mimicking his words.

"Hey, this one's still alive," another cried from the top of the Humvee where Val still slumped behind her machine gun.

"Val," Brooklyn whispered.

"We don't have room to carry wounded," Skull Face said. "Kill her."

The Resistance Fighter drew his knife and rested it at Val's throat, Val was still out, odds were she would wake in the next world.

"Wait!" Brooklyn cried. "That woman is a cerebral currier. She carries a message for Demona and Xanatos in her mind!"

"Don't you know the message," Skull Face asked.

"If I did, I wouldn't need a currier," Brooklyn replied.

"Whatever," Skull Face smiled. "Kill her!"

The Fighter at the top of the Humvee shrugged as his knife bit under Val's chin, one tug and her life would be over in a gush of blood all over the vehicle's roof.

Katana watched from her nearby vantage point, she drew the arrow to her ear and hesitated. She remembered that just the night before she wanted to kill the red Gargoyle named Val. Now she had the opportunity to allow the Resistance to do the deed for her.

Her hesitation lasted for only a millisecond, she realized that if anyone was going to deal with Val it was going to be herself.

She let the arrow fly, a perfect shot like always. What had been a fun pastime back home now paid off with an arrow straight through her enemy's eye.

The man toppled off the Humvee and Val's life would continue, for now.

The Resistance Warparty looked in her direction, and in that time Katana had already knocked another arrow. She let that fly into the heart of the Fighter standing next to Skull Face. She took out another one, but the element of surprise was over and they were raising their weapons to take her out.

Katana let out a famous war cry and drew her twin swords. She jumped from the tree and drove her foot into another Fighter.

The Figher's seemed to be stuck in slow motion, in a time warp that rendered them impotent before the blue Gargress.

She divided a Kalashnikov in half and drove her polished steel into the Fighter's guts, flipping him over her shoulder.

Another raised his hand, whether it was a pitiful attack or defense was hard to determine. She took that arm off his body with a circular motion of her free blade. While the blade was completing its motion, the other free blade flew in a murderous arch, dividing the head off the final resisting Fighter.

Brooklyn grabbed Skull Face and restrained him, all while proudly proclaiming "that's my girl!"

Another Fighter attempted to run, but Katana smoothly snapped out a Shuriken and threw it into his neck.

Just like that, all resistance was over from the Warparty. Only Skull Face, a woman, and a pair of child aged Fighters remained. The kids were holding each other in fearful protection as Katana marched on them, she raised her sword.

"That's enough, Katana," Brooklyn said. "We're not going to kill fellow Sentients unless we have to, even if they are Resistance."

Sometimes it was hard for Katana to stop, but she lowered her sword, cleaned the blade, and sheathed it. "They're cute now, but eventually they'll grow up."

"I said, enough," Brooklyn repeated.

Brooklyn grabbed his prisoner and dragged him to the kids next to the Humvee, the Driver did the same with his prisoner.

"I'll make you all a deal," Brooklyn announced to the prisoners. "If you serve as stretcher bearers I will let you go when we reach our destination instead of turning you over to Congress."

"Brooklyn," Skull Face said.

"Katana, watch the Prisoners," Brooklyn ordered as he went to the medical compartment of the Humvee and quickly took out the medipack and the backboard. He and Driver went to the top of the Humvee where Val was still motionless in the porthole.

For a moment Brooklyn hoped she had been killed, a quick death was better than life long injuries, especially when he was not sure where she was going to get advanced treatment since they had been outlawed from the Reservation.

But Val was alive, her Airway Breathing and Circulation all seemed good though her face was caked with drying blood.

"My god," Brooklyn muttered at the sight of her. He checked her neck and did not feel any breaks or deformities. He then palpated her face, her nose was definitely broken, probably in more than one place, but the rest of the facial bones seemed okay.

"Brooklyn," Skull Face called again.

Brooklyn allowed himself to feel a little hope, but not much. The same forces that had ruined the Humvee had acted on Val's upper body and there was no telling what kind of internal injuries she may have. But, besides her nose, her bones seemed solid and a helmet had protected the rest of her head. He allowed himself to hope that she would make a full recovery.

"Alright," Brooklyn said to Driver. "You need to hold her head and I am going to pull her out by her shoulders. On your count..."

"Brooklyn," Skull Face called again.

Brooklyn whirled around, "Shut the fuck up! You're lucky I felt like taking prisoners today! If my friend never wakes up I just might change my mind!"

"We didn't mean to attack you," Skull Face said. "We were separated from our command near Vermillion and chased here by Super Minions. The ambush YOU triggered was set for THEM. Thanks."

"What!" Brooklyn cried, Vermillion was the final checkpoint and settlement before Hive Territory. "What were you doing in Vermillion!"

"Look!" Driver cried, pointing toward the forest line.

Brooklyn looked and saw at least a dozen floating people coming their way, these were no doubt Super Minions, probably loyal to the UnZ opposition.

"We are going to have to expedite this," Brooklyn said to Driver while cutting Val's restraints. They then roughly pulled her out.

Inaccurate fireballs were already raining in around them as Brooklyn crudely strapped Val onto the backboard. The Humvee was hit and quickly started blazing.

"Go! Now," Brooklyn cried as the two boys grabbed each end of the backboard; the group ran into the woods. A dozen Super Minions arrived moments later but were distracted by the dead from the battle.

While they gorged, Brooklyn and the others escaped into the forest.


End file.
